1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to inhibiting defacement of curbs, rails, benches and other walkway features and, more particularly, to inhibiting, for example, a wheeled, personal mobility unit, such as a skateboard or in-line skate, from sliding or grinding over such walkway features and the like surfaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
The popularity of skateboarding, in-line skating, and other activities that use wheeled, personal mobility units has increased, and continues to increase. Professional, televised competitions, along with personal appearances and shows by expert skateboarders and in-line skaters abound. Recreational parks specially built for these activities provide controlled yet challenging areas for the practitioners of these activities.
Not all skateboarders and in-line skaters practice their sport in ways that are respectful of people or property. The general public, as well as local merchants, church officials, school administrators, and public administrators, have complained regarding the behavior of skate boarders and skaters in the community. Some of the complaints concerned the skateboarders and skaters using the curbs, benches, and sidewalk edges to practice and perfect stunts. As a result, the general tranquility was disturbed, property owners endured real property damage, local merchants observed reduced customer traffic, and concern was expressed with a perceived increase in liability associated with personal injury and/or property damage.
A stunt commonly performed by skateboarders and in-line skaters is to slide or grind along non-planar or multi-angled surfaces, such as curb edges, park bench edges, and handrails. A general solution to the problem is to interrupt the surfaces that are the target for sliding.
A specific solution in the prior art concerning sliding along curb edges involves placing additional curbs in a zig-zag pattern along the curb edge. The apexes on one side of the zig-zagged additional curbs form a line that is parallel to the curb edge, but the apexes are only near the edge and not co-extensive with the edge. This arrangement results in insufficient area about the curb edge for sliding. However, the placement of the additional curbs is expensive, bulky, and unattractive.
A specific solution in the prior art concerning sliding along bench edges places disc-like units on the horizontal surface of the bench. The disc-like units are placed in a row parallel to the bench edge, but the row is only near the edge and not co-extensive with the edge. Again, this arrangement results in insufficient area about the bench edge for sliding. However, the disc-like units are appropriate for placement on planar or flat surfaces. Further, the skateboarders and in-line skaters slide along the edge and the solutions in the prior art do not directly address interrupting the sliding edge.
Therefore, a system and process for inhibiting a wheeled, personal mobility unit, such as skateboards and in-line skates, from sliding along surfaces having portions oriented at mutually different angles, for example, curb, bench and sidewalk edges, is needed.
An objective of the invention is to provide a system for inhibiting sliding or grinding along a surface having two or more surface portions oriented at mutually different angles. The present systems very effectively inhibit such activities, for example, using wheeled, personal mobility units, such as skateboards and in-line skates, which result in reduced bodily injuries and property damage, and an increase in the overall tranquility. The present systems are straightforward in design and construction, can be adapted to various surfaces and are cost effective to manufacture and use. Moreover, the systems can be used without substantially disrupting the functionality and attractiveness of the surface. In general, the present systems comprise at least one part, and often a plurality of parts, having a contact surface that generally complements, or conforms to, the two or more angled surface portions of the surface. The part also has a body, for example, a substantially incompressible body, extending from the contact surface and terminating at an exposed surface. The part preferably is permanently secured to the surface, for example by one or more mechanical fasteners, or anchor members. Additionally, or alternatively an adhesive, such as a conventional epoxy adhesive, may be located adjacent the contact surface and is effective in securing the part to the surface.
In one aspect of the invention, the body includes first and second body portions. The body portions each include an aperture for receiving a fastening member, for example a bolt, screw, or other fastening member suitable for installing the part to the surface. Preferably, the apertures are oversized with respect to the fastening member to allow for error, for example drilling error, during the installation process, as well as allow for expansion or contraction of the part and/or substrate to which the part is fastened.
Notably, if the apertures are positioned on the body portions such that the fasteners received therethrough meet one another or occupy a common plane, the substrate may be weakened and become brittle after the part has been installed. In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the apertures are offset with respect to one another in order to prevent the fastening members from occupying the same special plane and/or meeting each other when received by the first and second body portion apertures. Preferably, the apertures are spaced apart from a generally central axis defined by the part, and are located on opposing sides of the generally central axis.
In another aspect of the invention, the part is adapted to withstand compressive forces, particularly about the body portion apertures, for example, forces exerted on the part during installation of the part to a concrete substrate. For example, a substantially solid ring of material is provided about each of the apertures. When the part is installed to a concrete substrate for example, a head of the fastening member rests on the substantially solid ring. As the fastener is tightened to the substrate, the ring functions to strengthen the part and prevent the part from becoming weakened and/or deforming and/or breaking.
In one embodiment of the invention, the part comprises a substantially solid, unitary structure and the body portions define a fixed angle of orientation conforming to the surface having mutually different angles, for example, positioned at an angle of about 90xc2x0 or about 60xc2x0 or about 45xc2x0 or about 30xc2x0 relative to each other. Such xe2x80x9cfixed anglexe2x80x9d parts are advantageously made of metal, such as steel, aluminum, and/or other metals.
In another embodiment of the invention, the body portions are flexibly connected to each other. For example, body portions are joined by a hinge assembly. Thus, in this embodiment, the body is adapted to bend about the hinge assembly to conform to at least two of the surface portions. In one particularly useful embodiment, the hinge assembly comprises first and second hinges. The first hinge is flexibly connected to the first body portion. The second hinge is flexibly connected to a second body portion. The two hinges are flexibly connected or joined. The contact surface preferably extends over the body portions and the hinges. The part is flexible about the hinges thereby enabling the contact surface to conform to a multi-angled surface.
The contact surface of the part may be a planar, flat, substantially featureless surface. Parts made of one or more metals advantageously have such a surface. In another aspect of the invention, the part has one or more three dimensional features extending from the contact surface for providing an increased adhesive contact area relative to a flat contact surface. Thus, the part may be adhered to the surface by a layer of adhesive between the contact surface and the surface, in addition to being secured to the surface by the fastening members received through the body portion apertures as described briefly hereinabove.
A plurality of the parts as described elsewhere herein can be packaged and sold together. A plurality of such parts can be placed at spaced apart intervals along a surface to inhibit unwanted sliding along the surface, as described elsewhere herein.
In a further aspect of the invention, a process for inhibiting sliding along a surface having two or more surface portions oriented at mutually different angles comprises the step of providing a part that has a contact surface that generally complements the surface, such as the parts described elsewhere herein. The part is secured, preferably permanently secured, to at least one of the surface portions.
Any combination of two or more features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features in each such combination are not mutually inconsistent.